Sanjay Raut "holds the key" to Congress power in Maharashtra: Veer Savarkar's Grandnephew

Ranjit Savarkar, grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, said Congress will t take action against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut for his controversial statement on Indira Gandhi as he "holds key" to ir power in Maharashtra. Savarkar took a jibe at Shiv Sena coalition partner Congress saying y won't do anything that keeps m away from government. He also backed Raut's claim.

"Sanjay Raut is a good fried of Congress and w he is exposing m. He says he has seen whole Mantralay coming to receive Karim Lala and Haji Mastani. He says that Indira Gandhi used to visit him at Pydhonie (in south Mumbai). What are y (Congress) going to do about it? Sanjay Raut holds key to power and if Congress acts against him y'll lose power. y will t do anything to harm ir chances of being in government," Ranjit Savarkar said.

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Sanjay Raut has told truth

He went on to challenge Congress to eir take action against Sanjay Raut or accept his charges. "I kw what Sanjay Raut has told is truth as he has written about it several times. I don't think he will go back in his statement." Although Raut did retract from his statement on Thursday.

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Raut retracts comment

After facing backlash from Maharashtra coalition partner Congress, Sanjay Raut retracted his statement where he claimed that former PM Indira Gandhi h links with underworld dons of Mumbai. outspoken Sena leer came under fire from Congress leers like Sanjay Nirupam, Milind Deora and Abhishek Singhvi over his controversial remark me on Wednesday. Sena, NCP and Congress have allied as Maha Vikas Aghi coalition to govern Maharashtra.

"Our friends in Congress need t be offended by this. I have defended Indira Gandhi many times when she was attacked while Congress kept mute. If someone thinks that my statement would dent stature of Indira Ji or hurt sentiment of someone, n I retract my statement," Raut told reporters in Mumbai.

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What remark did Raut make?

Talking about past influence of underworld over Mumbai, Sanjay Raut claimed that underworld decided who will be city's commissioner and in state secretariat. Moreover, he claimed that entire secretariat would meet don Haji Mastan when he was in town.

"y (underworld) used to decide who will be Mumbai's police commissioner and who will sit in Mantralaya (state secretariat)," Raut said. He ded, "When (underworld don) Haji Mastan came to Mantralaya, entire secretariat would come down to see him. Indira Gandhi used to meet Karim Lala in Pydhonie (in south Mumbai)".

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